Whiffletree.



F. J. HUSTED.

WHIFFLETREE.

APPLICATION FILED 05023. 1915.

Patented June 13, 1916.

INVENTOR Y E N R Q T T A FRED J. BUSTED, OFWESTBORO, VIISCONSIN.

WHIFFLETREE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 13, 1916.

Application filed December 23, 1915. Serial No. 68,427.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, F RED, J. I-Iusrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVestboro, in the county of Taylor and State of Vvisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in "Whifiletrees, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to whiffletrees and the primary object thereof resides in the provision of a device of the anti-destructible type, all of the parts of which are formed of metal and arranged so that the parts peculiarly cooperate with each other in producing the efficient construction.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of an improved resilient guarding means for association with a body of the tree as well as novel securing means for holding the guarding means on the body and also holding the trace hooks and draft connecting means thereto so as to prevent unnecessary movement of the-parts when in position.

A further object of my invention resides in the provision of a device of the character described that is simple in construction, eflicient in operation, and one that can be manufactured and placed upon the market at a minimum cost.

Other objects as well as the nature, characteristic features and scope of my invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the drawings forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings :I*igure 1 is a top plan view of my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of my invention taken on line 22 of Fig. 1 in the direction in which the arrow points; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of my invention illustrating to advantage the arrangement and construction of the guarding means and the novel securing means.

Referring more particularly to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate like and corresponding parts throughout the different views, I provide an elongated tubular metallic bar 1, and have associated therewith adjacent the respective extremities thereof, angularlydisposed looped ends 2 of draft rods 3, the inner ends of the rods being looped as indi cated by the numeral 1 and engaged in a draft ring 5, a portion of which is flattened as illustrated by the numeral 6 to allow the same to abut the bar at times. These bars and ring serve as an efficient means for connecting the bar to a vehicle or soil treating implement.

For the purpose of attaching the usual ent instance beingformed from strips of resilient metal. Each of the strips are bent intermediate their ends to provide annular resilient guardlng bands 9, the terminals 10 being arranged in intimate contact with each other and provided with alining openings 11 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The terminals are also reduced so that they may be arranged in close relation with the inner bore of the bar while the outer edges of the bands are arranged substantially flush with the outer periphery of the bar. As is readily apparent, when the guarding means are secured in a manner to be hereinafter described, because of the resiliency of the material from which they are formed, they absorb all shocks and jars imposed on the bar that ordinarily disfigure or otherwise injure the bar.

For the purpose of securing or anchoring the rods 3, the hooks 7, and the guarding bands 9, on the bar, I have provided my improved securing means. In the present instance this means consists of two pieces of bendable rod metal 12, which are inserted through oppositely arranged openings 13 adjacent the respective ends of the bar, the terminals being bent upon themselves and in opposite directions to each other, to pro vide retaining hooks 14 for the looped ends 2 and 8, the terminals of the hooked ends engaging openings 15 and 16 in the bar adjacent the opening 13 as illustrated to advantage in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings. As is also noted, the pieces 12 pass through the alining openings 11 and secure the annular bands 9 in position. It will thus be apparent that by the peculiar formation of these securing pieces which are of substantially S-shaped configuration, all of the parts are maintained in position, and undue 'movement thereof is obviated.

Although I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that I .am not to be limited to the exact details shown, however I desire that great stress be laid upon the arrangement of the novel securing means for retaining the guarding j means, trace hooks, and the draft connecting means in position. Attention is also directed to the guarding means. g 7 From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

itean be easily seen that I have provided a device that is simple in construction, containing but a few simple parts that can be cheaply manufactured and assembled, and when assembled can be placed upon the market and sold at a minimum cost.

It Will be understood that the above description and accompanying drawings comprehend only the general embodiment of my invention and that various minor changes in detail of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be made within the scope of the appendedclaims and co pies of this patent may be obtained for without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

'VVhat 1s claimed 1s:-

1. A whiflletree including a bar, trace hooks connected about the respective ends of arranged about the trace hooks and the draft 'meanson the bar.

2. A whifiietree including a tubular bar, trace hooks having theirinner ends looped about the bar, draft rods having their outer ends looped about the bar, a draft ring associated with the inner ends of the rods,

resilient guarding bands associated with the respective'ends of the bar and securing ele ments for fastening the hooks, rods and bands to the bar.

V In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED J. HUSTED.

lVitnesses:

C. W. HAMILTON, HOMER I KIGER.

five cents each, by addressing the-commissioner o! latento. Washington, D. 0. p I i 1 

